Pistachio Vanilla Spirals Recipe

Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise; with tip of knife, scrape seeds into food processor (reserve pod to place in sugar jar to make vanilla sugar). Add sugar and pulse until combined and sugar resembles superfine sugar. Add pistachios and pulse until in texture of medium-grind coffee; transfer to bowl.

In food processor, pulse together flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tbsp/30 mL of the sugar mixture; pulse in butter until in coarse meal. In separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with sour cream; add to flour mixture and pulse just until dough holds together. On lightly floured surface, form dough into ball, then halve; form each half into disc. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On lightly floured surface, roll each disc into 14- x 12-inch/35 x 30 cm rectangle with one long edge toward you; trim edges straight. Leaving 1/2-inch/1 cm border on farthest long edge, sprinkle each rectangle with half of the remaining sugar mixture; starting from closest long edge, tightly roll up, pinching seam together. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Slice each roll crosswise into 1/4-inch/5 mm thick cookies; place, 1/2 inch/1 cm apart, on parchment paper-lined rimless baking sheets. Bake in centre of 350F/180C oven until firm and bottoms are golden and tops are beginning to brown, about 17 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; let cool completely.

Makes 84 to 96 cookies.